GB2389104A

GB2389104A - Protective container for a bottle

Info

Publication number: GB2389104A
Application number: GB0212457A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Charles Colliss
Original assignee: Linpac Containers Ltd
Current assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2002-05-30
Filing date: 2002-05-30
Publication date: 2003-12-03
Also published as: GB0212457D0

Abstract

A container for use in the storage, transportation and/or use of a light sensitive pharmaceutical product contained within a bottle, comprises a body (1) defining an article-receiving cavity (6) therein, the cavity (6) being shaped and dimensioned to receive in tight fitting engagement therewith an article, such as the bottle mentioned above. A wall (3) of the body (1) includes means such as a push- or cut-out portion (9) arranged to provide access to the article received in the cavity (6). The cavity (6) is preferably defined by an octagonal section inner surface (5) of the body (1). The body (1) and a lid (11) are preferably moulded from polypropylene.

Description

- 1 CONTAINER

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a container for use in the transportation, storage and use of an article, such as a bottle containing a light sensitive pharmaceutical product for delivery to a patient.

10 With light sensitive pharmaceutical products which are delivered to a patient direct from a bottle, it is highly desirable to prevent ambient light impinging upon the bottle, and hence its contents, even though the bottle itself may be opaque Thus, it would be advantageous if the bottle and its light sensitive contents to be delivered to a patient, could be shrouded from ambient light not only during storage and transportation but also during 20 delivery of the contents of the bottle to a patient.

Further, it would be desirable to be able to secure such a bottle within the container, without the use of any additional packaging, as well as rendering

c the container drop resistant in order to protect the bottle contained therein from accidental damage, should the container be dropped during transportation or use.

Accordingly, the invention provides a container for use in the transportation, storage and/or use of an article, which container comprises a body defining an article-receiving cavity therein, the cavity being 0 shaped and dimensioned to receive in tight fitting engagement therewith an article, wherein a wall of the body includes means arranged to provide access to an article received in the cavity.

IS Preferably, the cavity is defined by the interior wall of a generally tubular side wall of the body, whilst the means for providing access to an article received in the cavity may comprise at least a portion of the wall which can be removed, for example, as a 20 push-out or cut-out. The wall of the body is preferably an end wall thereof.

In an embodiment of container to be described in more detail hereinbelow, the cavity defined by the

en? body of the container is polygonal In cross-section, preferably octagonal, whilst the outer surface of the side wall may also be polygonal, for example octagonal, in cross-section, in order to prevent the 5 container, and any article received therein, from rolling. Also, at least part of the container body, for example a side and/or end wall thereof, is made of 10 expanded polypropylene, to render it dropresistant from heights of, say, 2 metres to 3 metros.

If the container is to be used for the transportation, storage and/or use of a light Is sensitive product, such as a light sensitive pharmaceutical product contained within, say, a bottle, at least the side and end walls of the container are preferably opaque.

20 The container may also be provided with a lid which may also be made of the same material as that of the container side wall, for example, expanded polypropylene.

c) In order that the Invention may be more fully understood, a preferred embodiment of container in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying 5 drawings in which: Figures l and 2 are respective plan and sectional side views of a body for the container; 10 Figures 3 and 4 are respective plan and sectional side views of a lid for the container; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the body and lid of respective Figures l and 2 and Figures 3 and 4, 15 in combination; and Figure 6 is a partial sectional side view of the container when used with a bottle for dispensing a light sensitive pharmaceutical product therefrom.

Referring firstly to Figures l and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a container for use in the storage, transportation and use of a light sensitive pharmaceutical product contained within a bottle (not

{ - - shown), comprises a body, indicated generally at 1, having an octagonally-profiled outer surface 4 and an inner surface S of octagonal cross-section, the inner surface 5 defining a cavity 6.

A bottom end wall 3 of the body 1 is moulded integrally with the side wall in polypropylene.

The outer surface 7 of the bottom end wall 3 is 10 provided with an annular V-shaped groove 8 which allows a circular central portion 9 of the bottom end wall 3 to be removed therefrom, as a push-out or cut-

out, ready for use of a bottle received within the cavity 6.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, a lid, indicated generally at 11, for the container is again moulded from polypropylene and comprises a main body 12, a necked portion 13 and an axially extending 20 recess 14, with a conical entry portion 15.

The recess 14 and entry portion 15 are shaped to receive the top end, for example, the cap, of a bottle to be received in the cavity 6 of the container body

-6 1, when the lid is applied to the container, for example, as shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 6, the container is shown with its body 1 having received in the cavity 6, In frictlon-fltting engagement with the inner surface 5 of the side wall 2, a bottle 20, with the cap 21 of the bottle received snugly in the recess 14 of the lid 11 applied to the container body 1. In this manner, the bottle 20 is lo received tightly within the cavity 6, to prevent any undesirable movement therebetween.

The bottle 20 contains a light-sensitive pharmaceutical product for delivery to a patient, for lS example suspended thereabove in the container, at which time, the circular portion 9 of the bottom wall 3 of the container body 1 can be cut-out around the annular groove 8.

20 The resulting aperture provides access to the base of the bottle 20 for a delivery tube.

Alternatively, the bottle 20 can be removed from the body 1, after the lid 11 has been removed, and inverted and re-inserted in the cavity 6, such that

-7 lts cap 21 extends through that aperture, in which case, the central portion 9 of the bottom end wall 3 of the body 1 could be either pushedout or cut-out.

5 With the capped end of the bottle 20 extending through the so-formed aperture in the bottom end wall 3 of the body l, a delivery tube can be communicated with the contents of the bottle via a needle or other delivery attachment, in which case, the exposed lo surface of the cap 21 of the bottle may be provided with a suitably pierceable material.

As the material from which the container is made is opaque, the light sensitive contents of the bottle 15 20 are not exposed to ambient light during transportation, storage and use.

Further, because the container body 1 and lid are made of expanded polypropylene, the whole package 20 is drop resistant from heights of 2 metres to 3 metros. This drop resistance of the inventive container IS particularly advantageous, because many of the

-8- bottled pharmaceutical products with which It is used are extremely expensive.

Claims

-9 - CLAIMS

1. A container for use in the transportation' storage and/or use of an article, which container 5 comprises a body defining an article-receiving cavity therein, the cavity being shaped and dimensioned to receive in tight fitting engagement therewith an article, wherein a wall of the body includes means arranged to provide access to an article received in 10 the cavity.

2. A container as claimed in claim l, wherein the cavity is defined by the interior wall of a generally tubular side wall of the body.

3. A container as claimed in claim l or 2, wherein said means for providing access to an article received in the cavity comprises at least a portion of the wall which can be removed, for example, as a push-out or 90 cut-out.

4. A container as claimed in claim l, 2 or 3, wherein the wall of the body is an end wall thereof.

95

5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cavity defined by the body of the container, is polygonal in cross-section, preferably octagonal. 30

6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer surface of the side wall is polygonal, for example octagonal, in cross-section, in

( - lo- order to prevent the container, and any article received therein, from rolling.

7. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the container body, for example a side and/or end wall thereof, is made of expanded polypropylene, to render it drop-resistant.

8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim 10 when used for the transportation, storage and/or use of a light sensitive product, such as a light sensitive pharmaceutical product contained within, say, a bottle, wherein at least the side and end walls of the container are preferably opaque.

9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim including a lid which is made of the same material as that of the container side wall, for example, expanded polypropylene. JO lo. A container for use in the transportation, storage and/or use of an article, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

ll In combination, a container as claimed in any preceding claim and an article received in the cavity defined by the container body.

30 12. A combination as claimed in claim ll, wherein the article is a bottle filled with a light sensitive pharmaceutical product to be dispensed therefrom.